IT Tech Tips

In today’s video blog, I show you how you can snap windows to the corners of your display essentially creating a multi-monitor effect on a single screen. It’s really handy when you need to look at two different windows at the same time. We’ll start with positioning two windows on the screen. Switch to the application you’d like to have on the right panel. If the application is full screen, click the window toggle to the left of the X you could use to close the window. Then drag the application to the right-hand edge of the screen: When you let it go, the window resizes and snaps to the right half of the screen. The left side transforms to a selection of all the other windows you have open. You can then choose the application window you’d like to have a snap to the left side by clicking on it. When you make your selection, you’ll have both application windows sharing the screen. As I show below, I have Word snapped to the right side and Excel on the left side. If instead of using the side of the screen, you can snap applications to the corners which will let you have up to four items snapped on the same display! See my example below of a four-way split between a file folder, a Word document, my Passport PBS ERP system, and MS Excel. Using the techniques I’ve just shown you, you can take better care of your screen real estate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9Kx9rND6x4 Passwords are a hassle, no doubt about it! In this blog post and video, I show you how to set up a password manager to help control password chaos. There are two tools that we recommend for managing passwords. One is LastPass, which is a cloud-based solution.  The other password manager I’ll show is Keepass for which the data files are stored locally on your computer. LastPass To get started with LastPass, go to www.lastpass.com. Before we download it, let’s review Plans and Pricing. LastPass is free to use for keeping track of an unlimited number of passwords on your desktop OR your mobile device. You need to pay for the premium version if you want to use it on both your mobile device and your computer. The premium version is also very handy for storing sensitive documents because it comes with a gigabyte of encrypted storage space. Scans of your driver’s license, bank account details, passport info, etc. are the types of things uploaded to their document vault. I recommend starting with the free version to get started. Follow the prompts to create an account. KEEP CAREFUL TRACK of this password as it is your master password. They call it the “LAST PASSword you will ever need.”  There are strong complexity requirements so keep an eye on the real-time feedback the systems give you as you create the Master Password. Click “Sign Up It’s Free” and your account is then created. Follow the link to install the LastPass extension to your browser. You are then in your vault and you can click the Plus option to add items to your vault. With the extension installed, it will automatically prompt you to store passwords for you as you use your browser to log into various sites. When you click a web-based item in your vault or from the extension in the web browser (see below), LastPass will launch the site in a new web browser window and log you in! KeePass Some people are not comfortable storing sensitive data such as passwords and credit card information in the cloud. For anyone with that concern, I recommend KeePass. KeePass stores the files locally. Be sure to make it part of your backup plan so you don’t lose the file if your computer crashes! To download, go to keepass.info/download.html and click the download link for KeePass 2.x (KeePass 2.47 at the time of this post) Click at the bottom to run the application once it’s downloaded:  Choose your language preference and accept the defaults on the next screen. It’s a good idea to create a Desktop shortcut and Quick Launch shortcut and leave all other defaults. Once it’s installed, you’ll create a database. Click the New icon just below the File menu option in the top left of the application. The database is the repository where all your passwords can go. You might save it in your documents folder. Again, be very careful as to where you store this as you’ll need to make sure you back it up regularly. Create the master password. Enter a strong password and use the Estimated Quality bar for feedback as to how strong the master password is getting to be. You are looking to be in the green: After you have finished creating the master password, you will be prompted to print an emergency sheet. The emergency sheet is used to recover your database, should you lose your master key. In the application, click the picture of the key to add a new entry. Put in the details for the new entry. Be sure to put in the URL so you can use features in Keypass to open the site and then put in the name and password for you. To visit the site and have it log you in, there are three steps. First, click the entry in the list of keys that have been added.   Next, click the little globe icon. A browser will open to the URL you entered for that Keypass entry. Finally, switch back to the Keypass application, press and hold CTRL and press the V key. This performs Keypass’s autotype function which types the login name and password in for you. I hope you found this post on password management helpful and that you use one of these tools to control your own password chaos.  If you need additional help installing or using these applications, please email or give us a call!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqXYClyi-gc Using a UV Sanitizer is an easy and safe way to protect yourself from germs lingering on your electronics. In this blog post, I show you how to use two different devices designed to keep you safe. First, the phone soap.  This is a very slick device designed to sanitize your phone specifically, though you can put other things in there, too, such as your wallet, credit card, or keys. Just so long as the lid closes, the sanitization cycle will begin to clean whatever is in there. The Phone soap appliance I’m using here has Qi wireless charging, so you can actually charge your phone while it sanitizes. Though the cycle is only 10 minutes long, it’s easy to get caught up doing other things, and comforting to know the phone is charging while it sanitizes. If your phone doesn’t support Qi wireless charging, there is a small cut-out on the end where you can route your charging cable to plug it in while the sanitization cycle commences. You can find this appliance and many other options by this same great company at https://www.phonesoap.com/. If you are looking for something larger, take a look at the Hy-Genie Collapsible UV Sanitizer.  This unit collapses down to fit in your luggage, so it’s ideal for travel. It sanitizes everything you load up in there in just three minutes. As with the Phone soap, the gear does not have to be turned off to be sanitized. I put my Kindle, eyeglasses, phone, and Earbuds in there all at the same time with plenty of room. You can find this device at https://morningsave.com/deals/hy-genie-large-uv-c-sanitizing-collapsible-travel-bag-3 If you enjoyed this review, please drop me an email, submit the contact form, or otherwise let me know and I’ll post some more for you.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW7FhDMmzNY Multi-factor authentication is a very secure process of keeping your sensitive data private. In this blog, I explain in simple terms what Multi-factor authentication is, why you should use it where available, and how you can use it to keep your data private. First, what is Multi-factor authentication and why is it so strong? Think of Multi-factor authentication as a temporary, second password. Where can you use multi-factor authentication? Multi-factor authentication is commonly used by banks but more and more websites and other services are catching on to it. Here are a few areas you’re likely able to use Multi-factor authentication or, MFA for short: Bank Account Log-ins Facebook Gmail or Microsoft accounts. Mortgage or Car Payment websites Any site or service that requires a high degree of trust How Multi-factor Authentication Works When you log into a website, for example, before you are granted access, you are required to enter a second password. See the diagram below: Step 1: Log into the website.Behind the scenes, the website sends a code to either your cell phone via text message, your email account, or your Authenticator App as I demonstrate in the Video Blog post. Step 2: You enter the code into the website and you are then granted access. You must enter this code within a certain time limit or you’ll need to start the login process again. Many sites will allow you to establish more than one method of receiving the code. This is great for times when you don’t have your cell phone handy but you can get to your computer. Where Can You Find the Settings? Different websites call multi-factor authentication different things. They may also refer to it as 2-step verification or 2-factor authentication. It all means the same thing for our purposes. Check these areas and if multi-factor authentication is offered, you should be able to find it: My Account User Profile App Settings App Preferences Security Settings So the next time you are on a website or accessing a service that you feel you would really like to protect, check whether it offers multi-factor authentication. It’s a great way to keep your data safe and your online information private. If you ever need help with any aspect of cybersecurity or online privacy, please reach out to us for a free consultation or security assessment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT298DBYG8Y Technology Tips By Centrend Podcast: Episode #6 Don’t you admire the professional look of a well-crafted email signature? Much more than just a name, a well-designed email signature is a block of text and graphics representing you and your brand. In this video podcast, I will show you how to create professional-looking email signatures in two of the most popular email clients; Gmail and Outlook. We’ll start with Gmail, then do the same thing in Outlook. In Gmail, click the Gear in the top right, next to your icon/avatar. The basic visual settings appear. Click See All Settings. You’ll be on the general tab. Scroll down quite a ways till you see Signatures. You can edit an existing one here if you decide to change it later. Since this is our first time creating a signature for this Gmail account, click Create New. Give it a name. You’ll see in a minute that you can create different signatures for replying vs. new messages. You can also change the signature on the fly when you create or reply to a message. This can be useful if you sometimes want to include your cell phone as a contact number, but by default, use your office number in signatures. I called mine Centrend. Click the pencil icon to edit the signature name if you want to change it. The box to the right of the signature is where you create what you want the signature block to be. Type your signature as you’d like it to appear. I’ll start with my Name. Then add my title. Then my phone number and extension. The content is correct, but it looks boring. I’m going to choose one of the other fonts Gmail allows and make my name bold. First, I highlight all the text and then click the dropdown that says “Sans Serif” I can then change it to any listed font. I’ll choose the Tahoma. It’s looking better, but the signature is very small.  With the signature text still highlighted, I’ll click the Text Size icon and increase it from Normal To Large. The text is now the way I’d like it to be, but I want to finish up the signature with my logo at the bottom. Clicking the Image icon gives me a photo selector. Because this is Gmail, it’s integrated tightly with google drive, so if I have my logo already on Google Drive, I can choose it from the list or search for it. The Centrend logo that I need is on my local computer, so I click upload. From here, I can find it on my computer and just drag it into the block to show to upload it into Gmail. Now that image appears below my signature. If you don’t want to set your signature to always appear, you can insert the signature from the bottom right of the compose window by clicking the Pen icon. If you are like me, you will probably want your signature to appear automatically when you create a new message, reply to a message, or both. Right below the Signature you just created, you can choose a signature to default for New Email messages or when you reply/forward a message. Just choose it from the drop-down as shown. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Settings to save your new signature and defaults. That covers Gmail signatures. Now let’s take a look at how to create a signature in Outlook.  Note the version of Outlook you are running might be slightly different, but the concept and general location of everything I’m showing you are the same. In Microsoft Outlook, Pull down the File menu and choose Options. Choose Mail – in the menu on the left. Then click the Signature button. Your signatures will open.  Click New and give the signature a name. In the window below, you can type the signature as you want it to appear. To make it fancier, you can highlight the text and click the drop-down to edit the font. Notice you have access to all the Windows fonts instead of the limited font selection Google’s Gmail offers. You can click Insert picture, to insert a logo. A Windows Explorer Dialogue box opens so you can select the image from a folder on your computer. Click Save, and then the signature will be available to choose for New message or reply/forward. If you have any trouble creating or managing your signature, reach out to us, and we’re glad to help.

With the threat of coronavirus (COVID-19) all around us, we are all being more diligent about wiping down our work areas. One of the highest touch areas in your environment is your keyboard, mouse, and touch screens. If you’re a customer of Centrend, I already have the inside of your computer covered with strong antivirus software. So here’s how to keep your stuff clear of the other types of viruses. Important note: Off-the-shelf brands of “electronic wipes” are NOT disinfectants unless they specifically say so. At the left is an image of a common one that is NOT a disinfectant. It may wipe away the virus but if there is any left on the surface, it will stay alive. I recommend using Isopropyl alcohol. The CDC recommends the solution have at least 70% alcohol content. The one I use is pictured at right. Mine is 91% but as long as you are 70% it should be effective. So how to disinfect your equipment with these products? It will depend on the specific equipment so I’ll go through each category one by one. Screens & Phones Make sure the device is off. Always apply the solution to a cloth and don’t spray the equipment directly Use a MicroFiber to make sure dust and lint don’t collect on the screen. If the screen appears physically dirty, you may want to clean it with a paper towel or other soft cloth and save the microfiber for after. If your Microfiber cloth gets dirty, you can wash it with mild detergent and a soft-bristled brush like an old toothbrush. Dry the screen or wait till it is dry to turn it on again. Keyboard Unplug your keyboard from the computer or shut it off if it is wireless. Hold it upside down over a trash can and give it a few shakes. This will knock food crumbs and other particles out of the keyboard. You can use compressed air to help blow out crumbs. Just don’t hit it too hard with the air stream or you will blow keys off the keyboard! Apply the cleaning solution to the cloth. Never spray solutions directly onto the keyboard. To get in between the keys, you can use a cotton swab (Q-Tip) that you dip in the solution. Be sure there isn’t so much solution on the swab that it drips into the keyboard. Mouse or Touchpad Unplug your mouse from the computer or shut it off if it’s wireless. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, hold it upside down and spin it a few times to get any loose particles out of the inside. Apply the cleaning / disinfecting solution to a cloth and be sure it’s not too saturated. Your mouse has openings that you can’t let the liquid run into. Let the mouse dry before plugging it back in or turning it on again. I hope you’ve enjoyed my article and it helps you stay safe and healthy!

Your router is the box that connects your computers, phones, and tablets to the outside world. If your router is old or undersized for the number of devices you have, it can create a bottleneck. Here are a few essential things to keep in mind when assessing your router. These rules apply to home users or businesses alike, so read on! It’s not uncommon for me to hear a complaint from a client about slow internet connection speeds. When I plug my testing equipment directly into the Internet Service Provider’s device, I often see the full speed they are paying for. So what’s the reason for slow speeds beyond the provider’s gear? It’s often a fault of the Internet Router. The internet router is responsible for blocking unwanted/unrequested traffic from getting into your devices. A router provides basic firewalling services at a minimum. Simply stated: nothing gets in unless it was requested from the inside. This means that the router is VERY BUSY processing all the packets of information and deciding which ones should be let in and which ones should be dropped.  You can visit http://www.speedtest.net and see if you are getting the speed you are paying for. If not, here are the possible reasons: Your “off-the-shelf” router and not built for the number of devices you have connecting at once Your router is too old and can’t communicate at the speeds of your internet connection If Wi-Fi is slow, you may have a 54g network which is about 1/2 the speed of a 100MB speed modem Need help to figure out network performance problems? Reach out to me at the contact info below, and we’ll be glad to help!

If you are using a laptop on a slow wireless connection such as hotel Wi-Fi or a cellular hotspot, your connection can slow to a crawl if you have installed cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft’s One-Drive. Here’s how to limit how much resource the service uses, so you have room to do other things on the internet. Why does this happen? Cloud storage applications synchronize data in the background. There is plenty of room for them to do their thing on a typical high-speed connection while you use your computer. When you don’t have a fast connection, pausing or shutting off the service is not the best idea because you need to update the cloud with your changes. There is also a danger that you won’t remember to turn it back on, and the data you count on being accessible in the cloud won’t be there at all or won’t be the latest version you were working on. My advice is to tweak your application to limit how much of the internet connection the cloud application is allowed to use. If I’m using my Verizon hotspot, I generally set a download rate limit of 50 KB/s and an upload rate of 10 KB/s. This might be a good starting point for you. If you find it’s taking too long to finish syncing up, tweak the rate limits to your liking. Below are some screenshots of where to make this change in some of the most popular cloud services. If yours isn’t listed, you’ll probably be able to find it in the same general area of settings. Dropbox: Start by clicking the Dropbox icon in the bottom right of the screen in the taskbar.  Next, click the dropdown in the top right, then choose preferences. In Dropbox preferences, choose bandwidth.  Set a limit for both download and upload. Google Drive File Stream: Click the Google Drive icon in the taskbar. Click the Gear in the top right of the window, then choose Preferences. Click Network Settings in the bottom right of the settings window. Set a limit for both download and upload. Microsoft One Drive: Click the One Drive icon in your taskbar. Click the Help and Settings gear, then click Settings in the window that comes up. Set a limit for both download and upload. Is your computer slow all the time? You could have malware or a virus using up your bandwidth. It’s also possible that you need a tune-up. Reach out to us, and we’ll help you get your computer running as it should.

Have you ever been working on a spreadsheet and after entering a formula in a cell, you see the formula instead of the result? This article explains what happened and how you can get it back. This can happen in both Excel and Google Sheets, and I’ll explain how to troubleshoot and correct the problem in both applications. Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel contain spreadsheet auditing functions to “show formulas.” If ALL your formulas are showing up instead of the result of the formula, I recommend this as the first thing you would check: In Microsoft Excel: Click the Formula option on the toolbar Ribbon Click Show Formulas. This Toggles the display of all formulas on or off. Use it to troubleshoot/verify formulas when you are auditing a spreadsheet. In Google Sheets: Click the View option on the menu bar. Click Show Formulas to toggle the display of all formulas. Again, great for double-checking that your formulas are correct and consistent. But what if your problem is that only one particular formula is showing up while all the other formulas on the sheet are showing the result?  When this happens, you need to look closely at the cell by clicking it, then viewing the formula details in the editing section. Check out my image at the right, and you will see that it has the “force text” symbol, which is a single quote, in front of the formula. In both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets: Once I remove that extra single quote, the formula displays the result instead. I hope you find this blog entry helpful! Check back soon for more great computing hints and tips. If you have any you’d like to share, please comment below.